Francisco Lindor seeks fan support for Juan Soto amid ongoing challenges

It's not easy to be in the shoes of Juan Soto right now. The outfielder signed a massive $765 million contract in the offseason. A deal that big comes with immense pressure to perform and be the best among a group of elite athletes.

However, Soto hasn't been anything but great this season. While he may have ended his 17-at-bats hitless streak with a 2-for-4 performance against the Colorado Rockies on Friday, his season batting average is only .229.

Amid these struggles, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor sought support for Soto from the Mets fans.

"I encourage every fan to come out ... and give (Soto) love," Lindor said. "They've done that for me, they've done that for other players here. Continue to give him love, he deserves it."

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In Friday's game, Lindor hit two home runs in the Mets' 4-2 win against the Rockies.

Lindor himself struggled in his first season after signing a 10-year, $341 million deal. In 2021, he slashed a .230/.322/.412 with 20 home runs, 10 stolen bases and 63 RBI in 125 games played. As such, he would understand what Soto might be going through.

Carlos Mendoza makes his feelings known on Juan Soto

It's no surprise that fans have been concerned about Juan Soto's recent slump. However, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza has enough experience to know that good hitters always bounce back. Juan Soto is an exceptional talent and that's why he's getting paid big bucks.

While addressing the reporters on Friday, Mendoza said:

"I mean, he's gonna get going, you know. And we've seen it — pretty much seems like every day he's hitting a couple balls hard. Like, the results haven't been there, but he's gonna get going. I said it last game — he didn’t hit the ball hard, but there was something there, like whether it was the balance — there was something there.

"But again, every day I sit here and, you know, you look at the numbers — he's gonna get going here pretty s9oon. Not really, you know, because he knows he's in a good place. So yeah, I treat him the same way I treat the other guys too."

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Soto himself said that he will start connecting soon and that he's doing everything in his power to change his fortunes.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Nadim El Kak